Automatic pintle oiler



H. J. HADFIELD AUTOMATIC PINTLE OILER Filed Oct. l5, 1947 Oct. 9, 1951 Patented Oct. 9, 19151 UNITED STATES vPATENT OFFICE 9 Claims;

l This invention relates to means forlubricating the `fulcrums or pintles of relatively oscillating structures such as. hingesrof all kinds, as well as.

rudders, pivot studs,y or any other structure where one element is vswingalcly mounted on another element and requires lubrication for the pivotal connection between the relatively rotatable-struc.- tures vA primary object of the Minvention is to provide in @hinge-like device a hollow pivot pin or pintle which` is normally filled by a twistable element having opposite ends attached to the movable elements ofthe structure. The hollow pintle is provided with lubricant passages permitting the flow rof lubricant vfrom the bore of the pintle to the outer surface thereof. When the hingeplates are rotated with respect tor each other, the twistable element contracts radially, thereby permittingglubricant to flow into` the bore of the pintle and out of the passages to lubricate the outer surfaceof the pintle.

The invention also, includes the provision of a` lubricant reservoir for supplying lubricantto the bore ofthe pintle and also contemplates the use ci a central rod. around whichthe twistable element may bek wound.

Further objects Vwillrbe apparent ,from the specication anddrawings in which;

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly sectioned, of the invention asl applied to a standard. butt hinge:

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectionalrr detail of the top4 portion of; thev hinge structure showing the lubricant reservoir and means for. securing,` the twistable;element;`

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional detailA ofthe structure of Fig. 2v showing the radial contrae tion of. the twistable elementupon relative rotation of the hinge-plates;

Fig. 4 is a modied form of the invention having a centrally located pin member in the pintle; and

Fig. 5 isa section taken along the lines-.,5-5 of Fig. 4.

The invention comprises essentially the provision of a lubricantV reservoir at'one end of a hinge-.structure adapted tosupply lubricantto a; hollow hinge .pintle containinga twist'ablev element which is pinned at eachend to opposite hinge plates. This twistable element ispreferably made oft;y rawhide. having; a.. predetermined twist imparted thereto upon assembly and automatically valves lubricant both into and'iout of the pintle-bore. Thediametenof the rawhide element isfsuch that it completely lls thebore of the pintle to prevent any 110W of lubricant from the` reservoir through the bore. When thel hinge plates. are moved with respect to each other,` the rawhide becomes more tightly twisted, thereby contracting radially and permitting lubricant to Y flow through the pintle bore from the reservoir.

In large structures such as vaults or rudders, it may be desirable to provide an annular space for the rawhide and for this purpose, I utilize a spacing pin around which the rawhide isy twisted before insertion.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a hinge having standard relatively movable hinge plates I0 and Il. Hinge plate It has a series of spaced eyesY I2, I3 and I. which mate with spaced eyes I5, I6 and II on hinge plate II. The extreme eyes I4 and I5 are attached to opposite hinge plates V,for a purpose to be more fully described hereinafter. Y

A hollow pintle is enclosed withinthe eyes IZ-I'I and serves as a pivotalv axis for the plates in the customary manner. Pintle I8 terminates substantially within the two outermost eyes I4 and I5 as shown in Fig. 1, and is provided with radial lubricant passages I9 which are joined by external grooves Eil. A cap 2l is adjustably secured in eye I5 by means of a set-screw 22 adapted to lock cap 2l in anyv desired radial positionwhen the set-screw is turned into one of a plurality of depressions 23 in the annular shoulder 24 of cap 2I. The upper portion of cap 2I is hollow to provide an oil reservoir 25 which may beA replenished by removing the ller plug 26,and if desired, cap 2I may be made in two parts 2Ia and 2'I b as shown in Fig. 2.

The twistable element 2l is formed from a sin-- gle or double rawhide thong twisted until'v the edges of the thong form a substantially cylindrical outer surface. If desired, the rawhidev member may be trimmed when in the twisted condition, in order to provide a smooth, cylindrical surface. In assembly, rawhide element 21 is in"- serted in the bore of pintle I8 until itA extends into lower cap 28'to' which it is securely pinned at 29. The opposite end of rawhide element' 21 extends through the bore of shoulderv 24' into reservoir 25. This endis likewise pinned to" cap 2I by means of a pointed pin 30 adapted tob'e driven through the cap to the position shown in dotted lines' in Fig. 2. Opposite ends of pin 3B are then cut off; and the pin'riveted securely to the cap.

The ends of pintle I8 may be providedwith groovedy oilA passages 3l which operate in the same-manner as passages I9: Whereethe'bore offpintle I8" is of such asizethat the-complete illingf of the bore would require an excessive` 3 amount of rawhide, I provide a pair of spacer pins or rods 32, 32 (Fig. 4) which are supported and positioned by means of pins 29 and 30 and which abut each other at 33.

In assembly, element 21 which may be made of rawhide or any strong twistable material having properties similar to leather, is adjusted by means of turning cap 2| so that in the normal inoperative position of hinge plates I8 and I I, the bore of pintle i8 as well as the bore of shoulder 24 on cap 2|, is completely'filled by the element 21. the bore of pintle |8 or from reservoir 25 takes place.

Upon relative movement of plates I9 and with respect to each other, the element 21 is twisted in the same direction as the pre-formed twist, thereby radially contracting it to provide an annular passage 3d (Fig. 3) for the flow oi lubricant from reservoir 25 to the bore of pintle I8 and/or out through passages I9, 3|. It will be understood that the element 21 does not neoessarily have to be pre-twisted so long as it be capable of radial contraction upon relative movement of the hinge-plates. However, where a pretwisted element is employed, the amount and direction of the twist is such that relative movement of the hinge plates further twists the element in the same direction, thereby contracting it radially.

Since cap 28 is anchored in eye lf3 oi plate i8, and cap 2| is anchored in eye i5 of plate the contraction of element 21 occurs only when the hinge is operated so that in the normally inoperative position no lubricant can ow from reservoir 25. It will be understood that cap 28 may be formed integrally with eye or may be secured to it in any convenient way such as pressing, soldering, brazing, etc. The automatic feature of the construction provides long life and i' permits much greater periods between times when it is necessary to replenish the lubricant in the reservoir. The construction is likewise simple and will not get out of order. The adjustable feature of the cap adds to the longevity of the device since the pre-formed twist of thong 21 may be set in accordance with the frequency of operation as well as any wear which may eventually take place.

I claim: p

l. A device of the character described, comprising a rst rotatable structure, a second rotatable structure, a hollocT pintle connecting said structures, and a radially contractible element normally filling the bore of said pintle, opposite ends of said contractible element being secured respectively to said structures whereby relative rotation of the structures on the pintle produces circumaxial distortion and contraction, and at least one lubricant passage connecting the bore of the pintle and the outer surface of said pintle, said passage being normally closed by the contractible element.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which the contractible element is comprised of at least one length of rawhide.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a first rotatable structure, a second rotatable structure, a hollow pintle connecting said structures, a twistable radially contractible element normally lling the bore of said pintle, means for attaching one end of said twistable element to one of said structures, and means for attaching the other end of said twistable element to the other of said structures whereby relative In this position, no flow of lubricant within 4 rotation of the structures on the pintle produces circumaxial distortion and contraction, and at least one lubricant passage connecting the bore of the pintle and the outer surface of said pintle, said passage being normally closed by the contractible element.

4. A lubricating device in accordance with claim 3, in which the twistable element is formed of rawhide.

5. vA device of the character described, comprising a first rotatable structure, a second rotatable structure, a hollow pintle connecting said structures, a cap associated with one of said rotatable structures and having a lubricant reservoir, and a radially contractible element extending axially through said pintle and into said reservoir to act asa valve for controlling the now of lubricant from the reservoir to the bore of said hollow pintle, the opposite ends of the element being respectively secured to said structures for eifecting circumaxial contraction of said element upon relative rotation of said structures about the axis of said pintle.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 having at least one rod in the bore of said pintle about which rod the contractible element is twisted.

7. In a hinge construction, a pair of hinge Y plates having a plurality of hinge eyes attached thereto, the outermost eyes being on opposite plates, a hollow hinge pintle axially connecting the eyes and terminating within the outermost eyes, a plurality of lubricant passages connecting the outside of the pintle with the bore of the pintle, a pintle cap adjustably mounted in one of the outermost eyes, means for eecting rotatable adjustment between the cap and the eye, a lubricant reservoir in the cap, a second cap nonrotatably secured to the other outermost hinge eye, and a radially contractible element extending through the bore of the pintle and nonrotatably secured in each cap. Y

8. A hinge construction in accordance with claim 7, in which the twistable contractible element is wrapped around a pair of axially aligned rods attached in each cap respectively.

9. A device of the character described, comprising a first rotatable structure, a second rotatable structure, a hollow pintle connecting said structures, and a radially contractible element normally filling the bore of said pintle, opposite endsv of said contractible element being secured respectively to said structures whereby relative rotation of the structures on the pintle produces circumaxial distortion and contraction, and a plurality of radial lubricant passages connecting the bore of the pintle and the outer surface of said pintle, the said passages being normally closed by the contractible element. v

HARRY J. HADFIELD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le Vof this patent:

' UNITED `STATES PATENTS Germany v- ,Mar 18, 1907 

